Printable Version

Serves 4

250g (8 oz) Mascarpone cheese
12-16 Savoiardi or Boudoir biscuits
3 oz. coffee liqueur or dark rum
1 tablespoon caster sugar
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg yolk
170 ml strong black coffee

• Put the egg, sugar, vanilla, and 1½oz of a coffee liqueur or rum into a bowl and mix to a creamy consistancy.
  
  
• Add the Mascarpone and fold in to make a cream.
  
• In another bowl, stir together the coffee, which should be tepid, and 1½oz of coffee liqueur or rum. Dip the biscuits, one by one, in the coffee mixture for a few seconds, letting each biscuit absorb enough liquid to keep firm, but not fall apart. Starting with the biscuits, arrange in four individual glass dishes alternate layers of biscuits and the Mascarpone cream ending with the Mascarpone.
  
• Mix the melted butter and crushed biscuits in a bowl. Spread over the bottom of the loose-based cake tin and press down firmly. Cut the sponge in half lengthways and arrange the two strips around the sides of the cake tin. Set the tin aside.
  
  
• Chill in the fridge for several hours to set. Serve straight from the fridge ; it tastes better that way. Before serving, dust with cocoa powder.
  

Recipe courtesy of Spirits and Liqueurs, by Andrew Durkan, published by Teach Yourself Books.